Sarah Rayner: Another night, another day

Three people, each crying out for help..... There's Karen, worried about her dying father; Abby, whose son has autism and needs constant care; and Michael, a family man on the verge of bankruptcy. As each sinks under the strain, they're brought together at Moreland's Clinic. Here, behind closed doors, they reveal their deepest secrets, confront and console one another and share plenty of laughs. But how will they cope when a new crisis strikes?

Having read Sarah Rayner's other two books about the characters in Brighton, I felt I needed to read this one, too. And I was not disappointed. Reading about Karen, Anna and Lou is great, as the characters have moved on from their last experiences, but have not necessarily moved on in a positive way. Karen is still struggling to come to terms with her serious loss and so mental health issues are covered in a gentle but fascinating way. Everybody can suffer depressions, everybody may need help. Moving and yet uplifting.

Nathan Filer: The Shock of the Fall

‘I’ll tell you what happened because it will be a good way to introduce my brother. His name’s Simon. I think you’re going to like him. I really do. But in a couple of pages he’ll be dead. And he was never the same after that.’

This book reminded me of Mark Haddon's "Incident with the dog in the night-time" in that we are given a perspective that we cannot usually see - that of a person suffering from a mental health issue. The story is easy to follow despite the many voices and jumps, as we grow used to the workings of Matthew's mind. A fascinating, but sad and yet strangely uplifting read.

Jane Shemlit: Daughter

THE NIGHT OF THE DISAPPEARANCE: She used to tell me everything. They have a picture. It'll help. But it doesn't show the way her hair shines so brightly it looks like sheets of gold. She has a tiny mole, just beneath her left eyebrow. She smells very faintly of lemons. She bites her nails. She never cries. She loves autumn, I wanted to tell them. She collects leaves, like a child does. She is just a child.

ONE YEAR LATER: Naomi is still missing. Jenny is a mother on the brink of obsession. The Malcolm family is in pieces. Is finding the truth about Naomi the only way to put them back together? Or is the truth the thing that will finally tear them apart?

After "Before I go to sleep" this book was not as chilling and thrilling, but the characters were well developed and you could identify with the family and each member. I was disappointed with the ending though, as this was a little too stilted and unrealistic in my view.

Andreas Föhr: Schafkopf

Der Kleinkriminelle Stanislaus Kummeder geht an einem Oktobersonntag frühmorgens mit einem Bierfass auf den Riederstein. Dort auf dem Gipfel, hoch über dem Tegernsee, wird ihm aus heiterem Himmel der Kopf weggeschossen. Was der Mann, der nie auf Berge ging, auf dem Riederstein zu schaffen hatte, wozu er ein Bierfass auf den Gipfel schleppte und weshalb ihn jemand mit einem Präzisionsgewehr aus 500 Meter Entfernung erschoss – das können nur zwei Menschen beantworten: der ewig frierende Kommissar Wallner und sein bayerisch-anarchistischer Kollege Polizeiobermeister Kreuthner. Bei ihren Ermittlungen stoßen die beiden auf das geheimnisvolle Verschwinden einer jungen Frau, auf 200 000 Euro im Kofferraum eines dubiosen Anwalts, einen prügelnden Wirt mit abnormen Körperkräften und eine Neumondnacht vor zwei Jahren, in der die Geschehnisse durch eine Partie Schafkopf ihren tragischen Anfang nahmen …

Ein gelungener Krimi rund um Kommissar Wallner. Die Mitglieder der SOKO und die Gemeindebeamten sind gut charakterisiert und obwohl die Geschichte traurig und erschreckend ist, fehlt der Humor auch in diesem Föhr-Krimi nicht. Das einzig Unangenehme war, dass ich einen späteren Wallner schon vorher gelesen hatte, und daher ein paar Details schon kannte und schon wusste, was im Privatleben des Kommissars passieren würde.

S J Watson: Before I go to sleep

What if you lost your memories every time you went to sleep? Your name, your identity, your past, even the people you love - all forgotten overnight. And the one person you trust may only be telling you half the story.... Welcome to Christine's life!

A fantastic read and great thriller. I woke up one night thinking I was Christine myself. This really was chilling. And the ending is just as great....

Robert Galbraith: The Silkworm

When novelist Owen Quine goes missing, his wife calls in private detective Cormoran Strike. At first, she just thinks he has gone off by himself for a few days - as he has done before - and she wants Strike to find him and bring him home. But as Strike investigates, it becomes clear that there is more to Quine's disappearance than his wife realises. The novelist has just completed a manuscript featuring poisonous pen-portraits of almost everyone he knows. If the novel were published it would ruin lives - so there are a lot of people who might want to silence him.

Having read the first Cormoran Strike, I could hardly wait for the second one. And what a read it is. The characters are great and the stories complex, but interesting. At times, the novelist's novel was a little dark and dubious, but the storyline around his disappearance and around Strike and Robin's attempts to solve the puzzles made for great reading. I cannot wait for the next one....

Herbert Dutzler: Letzter Kirtag - 01

So etwas hatte selbst Gasperlmaier noch nie gesehen. Dabei hat er schon viel gesehen, der Gasperlmaier, schließlich ist er seit mehr als zwanzig Jahren Polizist in Altaussee. Aber ein Erstochener am Montag in der Früh im Festzelt vom Altausseer Kirtag, das ist auch für ein gestandenes Mannsbild wie ihn zu viel. Und so trifft er eine falsche Entscheidung nicht die letzte an diesem Tag, und auch der Tote, der in seinem eigenen Blut im Festzelt hockt, wird nicht das einzige Opfer bleiben. Herbert Dutzler setzt in seinem ersten Krimi ein mörderisches Karussell in Gang, das die unschönen Seiten der Ausseer Postkartenidylle zeigt. Konsequent aus der Perspektive von Gasperlmaier erzählt, findet Dutzler einen ganz eigenen Ton, der das Lokalkolorit glaubhaft wiedergibt. Mit dem liebenswürdig tollpatschigen Dorfpolizisten hat er einen originellen Ermittler geschaffen, der für Spannung und Schmunzeln gleichermaßen sorgt den Gasperlmaier wird man sich merken müssen!

Der Gasperlmeier ist nicht nur lustig, sondern auch sehr faszinierend und heimatverbunden und als Patriotin ist diese neu-entdeckte Reihe ein Muss. Die Eigenwilligkeiten des Landlebens in Österreich hübsch verpackt...

Raymond Khoury: The Sanctuary

Portugal, 1705. In the dungeons of a Templar castle, a dying old man bequeaths an ancient, half-burnt book to his young inquisitor. Keeping one step ahead of those who would kill to wrench the book's secret from his hands, the inquisitor turns his back on his calling and sets off on an impossible journey to complete the old man's quest. Baghdad, 2003. A military unit makes a horrifying discovery: a hidden state-of-the-art lab, where dozens of men, women and children have died. The scientist they were hunting is believed to be working on a bio weapons programme. But the man known only as the hakeem - the doctor - has escaped, taking with him the startling truth about his work ..

A story around a secret book detailling ideas and formulae for staying young.

Ted Kosmatka: Prophet of Bones

An ancient discovery. A hidden past. A deadly conspiracy to bury the truth. He was told his was the only name on their list. But for brilliant young anthropologist Paul Carlsson, asked to examine the cache of bones found on as remote Indonesian jungle island, fascination soon turns to fear. Because waiting for him east of Java is evidence of something that shouldn't exist; a revelation that if made public will turn scientific and religious orthodoxy on its head. If Carlsson discovers the truth too many powerful interests have far too much to lose.

An odd book about DNA meddling and genetics. Not quite the thriller I expected, but still not a bad read.

Lucie Whitehouse: Before we met

A Hannah Reilly has seized her chance at happiness. Until the day her husband doesn't come home... Can you ever really know what happened before you met?

This was a fast-paced novel about love and how love makes us blind and careless at times. Hannah is an interesting and in no way naive woman whose marriage starts to fall to pieces when she realizes the lies her husband is telling.

Mark Haddon: The Red House

Angela and her brother have spent twenty years avoiding each other. Now, after the death of their mother, they bring their families together for a holiday in a rented house on the Welsh border. Four adults and four children. Seven days of shared meals, log fires, card games and wet walks.

I looked forward to this book - having read The curious incident of the dog in the night-time. This story was more difficult to read though, especially as it was hard to see whose perspective you are reading... Still an interesting story.

Katherine Rundell: Rooftoppers

Everyone thinks that Sophie is an orphan. Found floating in a cello case and swaddled in a Beethoven score, she is the only recorded female survivor of a shipwreck on the English Channel. But Sophie remembers seeing her mother wave for help. Charles, a fellow survivor and an eccentric scholar, finds Sophie and brings her home to his London bachelor flat. Raised in a quirky home filled with music, words and love (though questionable diet), Sophie grows into a free-spirited tomboy with a taste for Shakespeare and the unshakeable belief that anything is possible. And you should never ignore a possible. So when the child welfare agency in its bureaucratic wisdom threatens to send Sophie to an orphanage, the optimistic girl and her odd guardian flee to Paris on a quest to find her mother, starting with the only clue she has - the address of the cello maker. Secured in an attic to evade the French authorities, Sophie escapes through the skylight and meets Matteo and his network of rooftoppers - homeless urchins who tightrope walk above the busy streets below, dining on pigeons and snails alongside the gargoyles and bell tower of Notre Dame. Together they set out on an unimaginable adventure, scouring the city for Sophie's mother before she is caught and sent back to London - and most importantly, before she loses hope.

Picked up from the library, as this was advertised as a modern classic in children's literature. I genuinely enjoyed the story, but would argue that this is a girl's adventure story. Of course, it might well be that some boys would enjoy this read as much as I did, but it is not quite what I would have expected for an adventure story.

Dan Brown: Inferno

Florence: Harvard symbologist Robert Langdon awakes in a hospital bed with no recollection of where he is or how he got there. Nor can he explain the origin of the macabre object that is found hidden in his belongings. A threat to his life will propel him and a young doctor, Sienna Brooks, into a breakneck chase across the city. Only Langdon's knowledge of the hidden passageways and ancient secrets that lie behind its historic facade can save them from the clutches of their unknown pursuers. With only a few lines from Dante's Inferno to guide them, they must decipher a sequence of codes buried deep within some of the Renaissance's most celebrated artworks to find the answers to a puzzle which may, or may not, help them save the world from a terrifying threat.

Reading about Florence and Venice is great. The links to Dante's Commedia dell'Arte are fantastic and interesting. The storyline is pacy, but at times a little far-fetched and confusing. The surprising turns are good, but there are too many agents and double-agents in this story for my taste. I still enjoyed the read, though.

Chris Kuzneski: Hunters 2 - The forbidden tomb

For over two thousand years, the legendary tomb of Alexander the Great - and the riches concealed within - has evaded discovery. Now, after centuries of searching, an ancient map has come to light that could hold the key to finding the fabled vault. Only one team has the skill and the expertise to solve the mystery once and for all. It's up to The Hunters to find the tomb. But on arriving in Alexandria, it quickly becomes clear that hostile forces are on their trail. And when one of the team is captured in cisterns deep below the city, what began as a treasure hunt becomes a deadly rescue mission. For there are some who will use any means possible to destroy The Hunters' efforts, and now there is more at stake than they ever could have imagined.

Although I prefer the Payne and Jones series, I genuinely enjoyed this Hunters book, too. With the Ulster archives becoming more prominent in this series I am waiting for Payne and Jones to join the Hunters at some point. Knowing that the anonymous benefactor is chasing several pieces of a puzzle, there is obviously scope for more books. The storyline is well thought through and thrilling with some surprising turns, especially where the historian is concerned.

Donna Leon: Brunetti 23 - By its cover

In "By its cover" Commissario Brunetti is better than ever as he addresses questions of worth and value alongside his ever-faithful team of Ispettore Vianello and Signorina Elettra. When several valuable antiquarian books go missing from a prestigious library in the heart of Venice, Commissario Brunetti is immediately called to the scene. The staff suspect an American researcher has stolen them, but for Brunetti something doesn't quite add up. Taking on the case, the Commissario begins to seek information about some of the library's regulars, such as the ex-priest Franchini, a passionate reader of ancient Christian literature, and Contessa Morosini-Albani, the library's chief donor, and comes to the conclusion that the thief could not have acted alone. However, when Franchini is found murdered in his home, the case takes a more sinister turn and soon Brunetti finds himself submerged in the dark secrets of the black market of antiquarian books. Alongside his ever-faithful team of Ispettore Vianello and Signorina Elettra, he delves into the pages of Franchini's past and into the mind of a book thief in order to uncover the terrible truth.

Another successful Brunetti!

Liane Moriarty: What Alice forgot

Alice has slipped in a step-aerobics class, hit her head and lost a decade. Now she's a grown-up, bossy mother of three in the middle of a nasty divorce and her beloved sister Elisabeth isn't speaking to her. This is her life but not as she knows it. Clearly Alice has made some terrible mistakes. Just how much can happen in a decade?

A feel-good story about how a little accident can change the worst things in your life. Alice is honestly trying to regain her memory, but then finds out that knowing what happened is perhaps not that brilliant, as she is aware of her mistakes leading to her marriage break-up.

Jane Fallon: Getting rid of Matthew

What to do if Matthew, your secret lover of the past four years, finally decides to leave his wife Sophie and their two daughters and move into your flat, just when you're thinking that you might not want him anymore. PLAN A: Stop shaving your armpits. And your bikini line. Tell him you have a moustache that you wax every six weeks Stop having sex with him. Pick holes in the way he dresses. Don't brush your teeth. Or your hair. Or pluck out the stray hag-whisker that grows out of your chin. Buy incontinence pads and leave them lying around. PLAN B: Accidentally on purpose bump into his wife Sophie. Give yourself a fake name and identity. Befriend Sophie. Actually begin to really like Sophie. Snog Matthew's son (who's the same age as you by the way. You're not a paedophile). Buy a cat and give it a fake name and identity. Befriend Matthew's children. Unsuccessfully. Watch your whole plan go absolutely horribly wrong.

This was a funny chick-lit story told from the perspective of a mistress who suddenly no longer wants the responsibility of a relationship, when her boyfriend suddenly leaves his wife and children. The characters are well described and it is easy to identify with all characters apart from Matthew who is a cheat and a liar, who never changes his ways. Having read "Sekeletons" I knew that I would enjoy this unusual perspective, too.

Donna Leon: Brunetti 5 - Acqua Alta

Jane Fallon: Skeletons

Jen has discovered a secret. It's not hers to share, but is it hers to keep? If she tells her husband Jason, he might get over the shock but will he forgive her for telling the truth? She might drive a wedge through their marriage. If she tells someone else in Jason's family - the family she's come to love more than her own - she'd not only tear them apart but could also find herself on the outside: she's never really been one of them, after all. But if she keeps this dirty little secret to herself, how long can she pretend nothing is wrong? How long can she live a lie? Jen knows the truth - but is she ready for the consequences?

This is a very interesting story about loyalty within a family and in-laws. Jen's feelings for her family and the members of her husband's family are well described and help identify with all characters. Ultimately, some parts are exaggerated, but overall a great read.

Jenny Downham: You against me

When Mikey's sister claims a boy assaulted her, his world begins to fall apart. When Ellie's brother is charged with the offence, her world begins to unravel. When Mikey and Ellie meet, two worlds collide. This is a brave and unflinching novel about loyalty and the choices that come with it. But above all it's a book about love.

Another young adult book that is demanding and challenging and links strong emotions.